


Drowning sorrows

by Unicorn (Jensee)



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Implied Past Abuse, M/M, Other, Pre Midnight Fox
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:48:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24091618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jensee/pseuds/Unicorn
Summary: Juno is drunk enough to stop caring
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 5
Kudos: 73





	Drowning sorrows

**Author's Note:**

> I apparently never posted this despite writing it over two years ago. Its not much but I figuredI might as well put it out there

Juno Steel was well on his way to drown his sorrows in his glass of scotch. Well, glasses. The three empty ones he had already discarded shone lightly in the bar faint light, and it was a testament to how wasted Juno was that the low light already gave him a slight headache. The bartender's frown and Juno's empty pocket suggested he had had enough alcohol for the night, but he felt particularly self-pitying tonight and coming back to his cold lonely bed didn't seem a more appealing idea than it had when he had first stepped into the bar.

He took another sip of the scotch. Eyes closed, he could almost imagine the scent of a light cologne, mixed with a touch of sweat and a hint of skin: the specific blend of one man who had somehow took hold of his heart and wrenched it out of his chest, all in two miserable days.

It didn't make sense. Juno had had relationships that had lasted weeks, months, even a whole year that one time, and he regretted all of them less than he regretted not having taken hold of that warm hand to settle it around him and keep it there the rest of his life. It was stupid. Romance was stupid and Juno Steel missed warm lips against his own and the confident hold of a criminal.

He downed the rest of his glass, looking into it like a old drunkard. Maybe if he drank enough, he would end up forgetting the thief, and would be able to go on, alone, free from stupid romance and idealistic tentatives at relationship. Maybe he would stop being a sucker and a closeted romantic and finally live as he thought he ought, alone and strong, with no catch, no lever for his ennemies to use against him. Lovers were a liability that made people lazy, too cozy in their life to right the wrongs around them. Juno had been doing fine: keeping people at a distance, barring his heart and personal life from entrance, before the thief had came barreling in and had lied his way into Juno's every nook and cranies. Since then, he hadn't been able to dig him out, but maybe the alcohol would drown the memories and cleanse him.

Right, like that had ever worked before.

"Bartender, another one of those, please..."

"Juno... do you even have the cash for it?"

"Shut up and gimme!"

The bartender sighed. He wasn't a friend, but he had been the exasperated witness to Juno's latest pity parties and at least the PI wasn't one to start bar fights when drunk.

"Here's water. Drink and go home while you can still dodge death threats."

Juno would have protested once his addled brain had caught up with his indignation, but before he could so much as take a breath, somone interrupted him.

"Thank you kindly sir, I'll be sure to take my friend home."

Juno turned around quickly, wincing at the ringing pain in his head as he did so. Now he remembered why he had never been a heavy drinker.

"Rex." He said, suddenly breathless.

The thief's eyes crinkled a bit as he smiled softly (Juno wanted to reach out and shake him by the ears).

"Come on, Juno, you know you don't need to call me that."

Juno inhaled shortly.

"Peter, then... Right?"

He stood up, feeling light-headed (altough that might have been the alcohol). The thief - Rex, or Peter, or whatever his name was - was already way too close, having gotten closer without Juno noticing. His scent was overhelming up close, managing to both be exactly as he remembered and much much better than in his watered down memories. He kind of wanted to nose dive into the man's shoulder, to let himself drown in the man's arms, to lie his life at his feet and let himself be shielded from the rotten world.

It's a vague feeling, piercing through the fog in his mind, that keeps him from throwing himself at "Peter". Words like dignity and moral came to mind, and Juno repressed his damsel in distress-like behaviour. That it was so hard right now was most likely a testament to how drunk he actually was.

"Why are you here?"

"To bring you home, Juno, I thought that was obvious."

"I meant..." Juno battled with his words, trying to pin-point exactly what was wrong with his walking dream presence. "...on Mars." But he doubted Peter could hear him, because the man had grabbed him to drape him on his shoulder and suddenly everything was too much. Fuck dignity, Juno was not letting him go away again. Why had he gone away in the first place anyway? Juno was distantly aware that he was clinging, and possibly whining a bit. Fuck he was wasted.

He stumbled behind the thief as they were processing through the streets, and through the fog of his mind, noticed that they ended up reaching his flat.

They stumbled into the door. Rex - Peter - was uncharacteriscally quiet, and Juno was too concentrated on staying on his feet rather than bury his face into Peter's chest to be his usual smartass self.

"You should go to bed, Juno." said Peter, and his voice was soft and to Juno's inhebriated brain, even caring.

"Don't tell me what to do..." he heard himself say, as he seated himself down on the bed.

"I wouldn't dream of it." said Peter, and Juno's brain feebly tried to be exasperated, but he was too exhausted to act on it. His ratty bed seemed unusually soft under him and he could feel his eyes closing.

Peter watched, somehow fascinated, as Juno curled up on his bed, exhaling softly. Juno's usual facade was fairly easy to detect, but it seemed that the PI needed to be truly out of it to reveal the truth of his feelings. It was somewhat unsettling but also flattering to see how Juno could cling to him when out of his right mind.

He looked around the appartement, to find some water, that he coaxed Juno to drink.

As he was about to get up from the bed, the investigator took his hand, in a grip firmer than Peter would have anticipated, coming from the inhebriated man. Blue eyes looked right into his.

"Don't leave." Juno's word were surprisingly clear, but Peter couldn't believe he would have said them had he been sober.

Peter gently detached his hand from the grip, and put the glass on the nightstand.

"I won't."

Juno seemed intent on making sure he kept that promess, and his eyes didn't leave him as he took off his shoes and laid himself on the bed. He couldn't help but stare at Juno, drink him in after months of dreaming about his body, his skin, his lips. Juno was easily the most handsome person he'd ever met, even though it was likely the detective would have dismissed such a thought.

"You wanna fuck me?"

Peter's eyes jumped back to Juno's, who were still trained on him. The detective looked and sounded sleepy. Peter couldn't help but lift a hand to caress the side of his head.

"It's okay if you do, I can take it."

There was ice in Peter's fingers, as he realized what that implied.

"I'm not "fucking you" when you can barely keep your eyes open, Juno. We'll talk about it if you still want it in the morning."

Want me, Peter didn't say.

"But you still wanna fuck me, right?" Juno mumbled, his words less and less clear.

"Of course I do, darling."

"'m not your darling." But Juno still took a hold of his hand that he tucked against his chest as his breathing slowed down. After a minute, it seemed he was deep asleep. Peter scooted closer to him, feeling geedy with happiness when Juno burrowed closer to his chest. Soon enough, he was slipping into sleep as well.


End file.
